How to Clean a Smoke Damaged Leather & Faux Fur Coat

Written by amy davidson| 13/05/2017

Leather is a tough medium to clean, as it is easily damaged. (Genuine blue leather jacket image by JoLin from Fotolia.com)

Removing the smell of smoke from fabrics can be a challenge depending on the fabric. Two of the most challenging mediums are leather and faux fur, which are both very delicate and often require a professional's help. If you want to try to remove the smoky smell from your faux fur or leather at home, before resorting to a professional, there are some easy steps you can try in order to banish that bad smell.

Mix together 1 tbsp of baking soda and 1/2 cup corn meal. Sprinkle the mixture onto the faux fur and use a fur brush to brush it into the fabric. Let the mixture sit in the fur for a couple of hours, then shake out the faux fur outside. Remove any additional mixture by vacuuming the faux fur.

Mix 1/2 cup white vinegar with 1/2 cup warm, not hot, water. Take a sponge or cloth and dip it into the mixture and apply a thin layer of the mixture to the leather. Don't soak the leather, just apply a moist layer. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded area.

Repeat Step 2, two to three times to insure you remove all odour from the fabric. Hang the leather on a plastic hanger, then poke the top of the hanger through your large plastic bag, and tie off the bottom of the bag. Toss a few dryer sheets into the bag through the top hole, and shake the bag a little to move them around.

Leave your leather garment in the bag for at least two days to truly insure it removes any odour of smoke and comes out with a fresh new smell. You can also do this bag treatment with your faux fur to give it a fresh smell, or if your leather and faux fur are part of the same garment.

Tip

In some cases, removing smoke with home methods may not work without risking damage to the fabrics. If you still have a smoky smell, take your fur and leather garments to the dry cleaner for professional help. You can also try filling a bag with coffee grounds at the bottom, to soak up remaining smells of smoke or vinegar. Baking soda works with this method, too. For leather, if you successfully remove the odour at home, make sure to apply a leather conditioning balm to the leather to keep it looking nice and prevent it from drying out.

Tips and warnings

In some cases, removing smoke with home methods may not work without risking damage to the fabrics. If you still have a smoky smell, take your fur and leather garments to the dry cleaner for professional help.

You can also try filling a bag with coffee grounds at the bottom, to soak up remaining smells of smoke or vinegar. Baking soda works with this method, too.

For leather, if you successfully remove the odour at home, make sure to apply a leather conditioning balm to the leather to keep it looking nice and prevent it from drying out.